The Sharjah cricket stadium, which will host 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches before the T20 World Cup, has announced major upgrades in the run-up to the lucrative league, which will be played from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first half of the IPL 2021 was played in India earlier this year, before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Sharjah's atmosphere or as we like to call it the 'Sharjah magic' is what differentiates the stadium from any other cricketing venue in the UAE," said Khalaf Bukhatir, Managing Director of Bukhatir Group and CEO of Sharjah Cricket Stadium. "We still don't know if we are welcoming cricket fans into the stadium this IPL, but we are certainly ready and looking forward to hosting some world-class cricket in a world-class, safe and secure environment," he said. The stadium will also host Qualifier 2 on October 11 and the Eliminator on October 13.

Source: The Hindu August 14, 2021 13:52 UTC